


We Need To Talk

by LetsBeExposedAndUnprotected



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-05 07:27:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25346950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LetsBeExposedAndUnprotected/pseuds/LetsBeExposedAndUnprotected
Summary: Vanessa comes home after spending a few months recovering at her Mum's
Relationships: Charity Dingle/Vanessa Woodfield
Comments: 2
Kudos: 102





	1. Chapter 1

It’s been three months, 18 days and five and a half hours since she left Vanessa at her mother’s. Not that she’s been counting at all. I mean, why would she? It’s not like she’s missed her like crazy, and ached for her every day, and tossed and turned every night without her tiny blonde rocket woman next to her. Of course not, she’s just got on with her life like the adult that she is and not once has she lost her rag at anyone in the village just for daring to look at her. She’s coped fine, thank you very much! 

Except for when she hasn’t. 

Like when the kids were driving her crazy and running rings around her without Vanessa there to keep everyone in line. Like when Noah came home and told her he thought he’d got his girlfriend pregnant and she’d monumentally lost her shit and given him both barrels, only to find out it was a false alarm, but one which left the atmosphere between them rather strained for nearly two weeks until Sarah had played peace-maker. Like when she’d had a bad day at work, on more than one occasion, and all she wanted was a cuddle with her fiancée to make her feel better. I mean, they’ve talked on the phone and facetimed, but it’s not the same is it? 

But Vanessa’s coming home today and she’s not slept a wink with the nervous excitement and has spent most of the day pacing up and down behind the bar, glancing at the clock every 10 seconds, wishing the day away, and ignoring most of her punters. Damn Chas and her super important appointment. She should be the one picking Vanessa up, not Rhona and Tracy! But instead she’s stuck behind the bar until Chas gets back later.

Tracy strolls into the bar and Charity whips her head round so fast she nearly does herself damage.

“Well, where is she? You did pick her up, didn’t you?!”

“Yes, Charity! We couldn’t exactly forget with you reminding us every 10 minutes like a broken flippin’ record! Calm down will you, she’s just emptying her stuff out of the car and freshening up and then she’ll be over.”

“Why aren’t you helping her with her suitcases?! She shouldn’t be lifting anything heavy!”

“I DID! Will you keep your hair on?! How does she put up with you?? No wonder she needed a break..”

Charity glares at her, and if looks could kill then Tracy wouldn’t have long left on this mortal coil.

She can’t wait a moment longer. “Watch the bar, Trace” and with that she’s gone. She shoots out of the door and down the steps. When she reaches the bottom of the steps and looks up her heart and her legs stop simultaneously, her breath catching for a moment. She’s there. Vanessa’s right there, walking up the middle of the road towards her. She blinks and shakes off her stupor and before she knows what’s happening her legs are carrying her towards her fiancée.

They meet in the middle of the road and Charity finds herself uncharacteristically nervous. She’s waited months for this moment and now that it’s here she doesn’t know what to do.

“Hi” Vanessa says, shyly

“Hi” Charity returns breathlessly

Vanessa ducks her head and shyly folds herself against Charity’s front, wrapping her arms around her back tightly. Charity enjoys the warmth that invades her and eventually responds. She cradles Vanessa’s head with one hand, pulling her even closer with the other, placing kisses in her hair until Vanessa lifts her head up and lets Charity’s lips meet her own softly.

“God, I’ve missed you!” Charity sighs.

Vanessa chuckles and grabs Charity’s hand. “Come on you, it’s freezing out here, and you probably need to get back to the pub you’ve abandoned..”

“I got Tracy to keep an eye, I didn’t just abandon it all together!” she huffs indignantly, but can’t help the little smile that appears on her face. Vanessa knows her so well. And she wouldn’t have it any other way..

When they get back to the pub, Vanessa nips into the back room to remove her bag and coat before joining Charity (who looks like the cat that got the cream) back in the bar. Charity turns when she hears footsteps approaching and her smile falters slightly. Vanessa looks nervous. 

“We need to talk” is all she says. Charity’s heart plummets and she stares at Vanessa, numb. 

“Is it back?” she manages, her voice barely above a whisper. Vanessa frowns and it takes her a moment to catch onto what Charity means. The cancer.

“No. No, it’s nothing like that. I’m fine, honestly” Charity lets out her breath and gulps another one back in, turning her watering eyes to the ceiling in relief and thanking any deity that will listen for sparing them both more heartache. “I just….I’ve been thinking that’s all. Mum said something whilst I was visiting and it got me thinking” This sounds ominous. And the fact that Vanessa is barely making eye contact doesn’t fill her with confidence either. “She said that I shouldn’t just settle for being some ex-con, barmaid’s fiancée. That I can do better for myself. And she’s right..” 

Charity freezes. She’d always known Vanessa was too good for her. But that doesn’t make this any easier. This hurt like hell. The bottom had just fallen out of her world. Maybe her thanks to those deities had been slightly premature. She tries to keep her tears at bay, holding down a sob, conscious that the whole pub is probably watching and not needing their pity or gleeful judgement.

“What are you doing on Friday?”

If she’d been given a million guesses she never would have plucked that out as the answer to ‘What is Vanessa going to say next?’

“What?” she splutters

“I said: what are you doing on Friday?” Vanessa repeats

“Why, because you’re going to leave me hanging until then? String out the breakup for a few days is that it?” A traitorous tear tracks its way down her face and she wipes it away furiously.

“What?! Charity, no!”

Charity swallows and tries to get herself back under control whilst Vanessa squeezes her hand tightly within her own.

Vanessa takes a shaky breath “I want to know if you’re free on Friday because if you’ll let me I’d like to become an ex-con, barmaid’s wife instead..” she says quickly and not without a solid dose of nerves

Charity slaps her hand over her mouth to stop herself from making some ridiculous wail of relief (she’s seen Sense and Sensibility after all and doesn’t want to look a twonk like Emma Thompson when Hugh Grant told her he was free to marry her) before eventually removing it again to lunge at Vanessa and capture her lips in a kiss so intense she felt dizzy. She laughs when they part and her heart swells at the little smile on Vanessa’s face.

“So, Charity Dingle, will you be my wife?” Vanessa asks before pulling their wedding rings, from their failed attempt earlier in the year, out of her back pocket, followed by an engagement ring.

Charity’s eyes widen in surprise but she manages to nod her head furiously as words rather seem to be eluding her right now, before holding out a very shaky left hand for Vanessa to slip the ring onto.

“I know you’re not going to need it for long and we’re already engaged but it didn’t seem right asking that question without giving you a ring. I can’t believe you thought I was dumping you!” she chuckles

“Well, what else am I supposed to think when you come home from your Mum’s having seen the light and talking about doing better for yourself?!”

“There’s no-one better for me than you, Charity. Being away from you for so long only helped prove that to me.”

“So, are we really getting married on Friday?” she asks with a sniffle

“mmhmm” Vanessa nods with a beaming smile.

“What if I already have plans for that day?”

“You don’t." Vanessa replies cockily. "Chas has given you the day off and Tracy has made sure the only plans you had were with me, her and the kids. Which is still technically true..”

“They were in on this?!” Charity yelps incredulously. “Am I the only one that didn’t know you were sneaking around behind my back?!”

“Yep! The whole day is planned and booked and paid for!” Vanessa and Tracy high five, looking mightily proud of themselves

“Rather presumptuous of you, babe..”

“I prefer to think of it as hopeful..” Vanessa says bashfully

Charity chuckles at her fiancée. “And you can wipe that smug grin off your face, Mrs.” Pointing accusingly at Tracy. “If I wasn’t so bloody relieved right now I’d have hung, drawn and quartered you already!” She steps towards Tracy who flinches slightly. But in a move that surprises them all, Charity places a kiss on Tracy’s forehead and wraps an arm around her tightly. “Thank you” she mutters into Tracy’s hair.

Tracy is still slightly shell shocked and the puzzlement shows plainly on her face. “What for?”

“For helping Ness. For always supporting us. Even when I’ve been a prat..”

“Yeah well, someone’s got to! And for some unknown reason V loves you and thinks you’re wife material….so she’s probably going to need all the support she can get!”

“Errr, it’s not too late to replace you as chief bridesmaid you know!”

“You wouldn’t dare!” Tracy shrieks

“Don’t test me” she winks

“So” Vanessa interrupts their bantering “are you ready to make an honest woman of me on Friday?”

“Too flippin’ right I am! I’ll be there with bells on!”

“No bells necessary. As a wise and beautiful woman once said ‘All I need is you’”

They share a languid kiss. Not desperate like their last. This one filled with the love and devotion they are ready to promise to each other in a few days time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was just meant to be a one shot....but here's Chapter two. And I feel I've rather set myself up for a third chapter as well..

Vanessa doesn’t leave the end of the bar for the rest of the afternoon until Chas gets back. And nor does Charity. Unless she really has to. She’s rather good at ignoring her punters, especially when there’s the option of canoodling with Vanessa instead. They’ve probably lost a few a quid with all the missed refills but Charity really couldn’t care less. All she wants to do is take her fiancée home and curl up together (and never let go if she had her way). Chas eventually saunters into the bar and smiles when she sees Vanessa.

“Nice to have you back, love. How was the journey?”

“Fine ta. And Rhona and Tracy were waiting outside the station as commanded by Colonel Bossy Boots over here” she flicks her head towards Charity with a cheeky smirk on her face.

“Oi, I won’t bother next time. You can make your own way from Leeds if that’s all the thanks I get!”

“And here was me hoping that we might get the slightly tamer and, dare I say it, friendlier version of Charity back that seemed to disappear about the same time as you did. She’s been sniping at everyone whilst you’ve been away. Didn’t know what we were going to get one hour to the next let alone one day to the next!” Chas teases

“Errr, I have not been sniping thank you very much. I’ve been fine. I can cope on my own you know!”

“Of course you can, love. You’re just….nicer….when Vanessa’s around….normally”

Vanessa preens, looking rather smug with herself

“Oh don’t you start an’ all! Yes, I’ve missed you, okay?!”

“Aww, my big softie” Vanessa coos, pulling Charity towards her for a gentle kiss.

Chas turns away and leaves them to their little moment.

Charity looks around surreptitiously when they pull apart, making sure no-one heard her little outburst and Vanessa calling her a big softie – she’s got a reputation to protect after all..

Or so she thinks. The whole village knows otherwise. She’s so much softer now she’s with Vanessa. Not that they’d dare say that to her face though. Just in case.

“Right, well, I’ve got this covered if you two want to head home and have some ‘alone’ time or whatever..”

Charity scoffs “You’re kidding aren’t you?! Fat chance! The kids will be finishing school soon so we’ll have two little ones to feed and bathe and entertain. We should get going really, babe”

“Aww, Charity I can’t wait!” Vanessa can hardly contain her excitement. She hasn’t been away from Johnny and Moses for this long before and she wants nothing more than a big family squidge with them.

Charity heads through the back to collect their coats and Vanessa’s bag.

“Are you feeling better now then love?”

“Yeah, as much as I’ve missed them all, being down at Mum’s really gave me chance to recharge my batteries and get my head around all the craziness at the beginning of the year. I did feel guilty leaving Charity though. Has she been okay?” she whispers

“She’s been a bit frazzled a few times. Tracy and I have tried to help her out where we could but she was quite stubborn about it all really. Think she wanted to prove something to us all. She really put her head down and did everything to put those kids first. What have you done to big, bad Charity Dingle, ey??”

“Are we quite finished ladies?” Charity says as she reappears back in the doorway

“I was just asking Chas how you’d been” Vanessa says softly

“What, don’t trust me to be able to look after my own kids, huh?” she pokes her toe into the floor

“Er, no Charity, I was asking how YOU had been. I feel bad for having left you for so long and just wanted to make sure you were okay because, strangely enough, I care about you. And you know I trust you with Johnny, otherwise I wouldn’t have left at all would I?”

“Right. Well, good.”

Chas chuckles and shakes her head at Charity’s antics. Some habits die hard it seems. And Charity will always be that little bit defensive when she thinks someone’s doubting her. Not that Chas thinks Vanessa will ever think anything less than the world of Charity.

“Come on then, Miss Hard-As-Nails, let’s go get them kids of ours” Vanessa beams before they head out of the pub together, Charity linking their hands so that Vanessa can’t wander too far from her side.

***

They park up round the corner from the school and walk down to the playground to wait for the kids to all spill out of the front door when the bell goes. Moses comes bowling out with a couple of other boys from his class and they chase each other around for a moment until he spots who’s waiting for him and Johnny. He runs over to Vanessa and stands in front of her, looking up at her with a cheeky grin on his face.

“Hi Wigglebum!” she acknowledges him excitedly

“Hi”

“Do I get a hug then?” She has a massive smile on her face which is happily returned before Moses then throws his arms around her legs. She laughs and cradles his head then steps back so she can reach down and pick him up for a proper hug.

“Babe..” Charity admonishes, wanting Vanessa to be careful even three months after her treatment

“It’s fine, I just want a hug with my favourite Wigglebum” she says tickling his tummy so he wriggles in her arms “and I’m pretty much back to normal now anyway. Don’t need babysitting..”

“I know. Just be careful, yeah? And don’t tire yourself out”

“Mummy’s so bossy isn’t she, eh?” she questions Moses

“Yeah! Noah says it’s cos you aren’t there to give her hugs!” he replies innocently

Charity rolls her eyes and huffs. “Why is everyone trying to show me up today? I’ve been fine!”

“Course you have” Vanessa says “Just remind me not to leave you for this long again though..”

“You won’t hear me complaining..” Charity mutters quietly. She doesn’t want to spend one single day away from Ness after the last few months if she can help it.

Johnny comes stumbling out a moment later with a teacher by his side as she helps him carry his wet painting carefully out to his Mums. Vanessa puts Moses down and when he sees Vanessa Johnny relinquishes his grasp on the painting leaving the teacher jumping backwards and trying to hold the painting away from herself whilst Johnny runs full pelt towards his Mum.

She picks him up and spins around with the biggest smile plastered on her face and tears shining in her eyes. “Mummy! You’re back!”

“I am, and I’ve missed you SO much Johnny! Look how much you’ve grown” she hugs him tight and nuzzles her nose into his hair, peppering him with kisses.

“Mummy Chatty said we could have fish fingers for tea with you today. And I did a painting for you. It’s me and you and Mummy Chatty and Moses and fish fingers!”

“Wow Johnny, that’s amazing! Fish fingers for tea, eh? What a treat” she says with a hint of sarcasm and a side eye at Charity.

“Sorry, I didn’t think he’d remember” she whispers

“It’s fine. Whatever my boys want” she says with a smile

Charity takes the wet painting from the teacher and holds it like it’s a bomb. “Come on then monsters, let’s get home!” her heart skips at the thought of going home and having the whole family together for the first time in months.

***

Once the boys were fed and they’d had a family cuddle on the sofa, during which Johnny and Moses had attempted to fill Vanessa in on all the exciting things they’d done whilst she’d been away (which mainly consisted of the boys jabbering away and not always making a whole lot of sense, leaving Charity having to try to interpret and expand on what they said to help Vanessa understand) the boys then had a bath and Charity and Vanessa finally snuggled up on the sofa alone.

Vanessa was safely ensconced in Charity's arms with her head resting on Charity’s chest and a blanket thrown over them so they were warm and cosy. They were both just revelling in the sensation of holding the other and being back in each other’s company.

Vanessa let out a contented sigh. “I’ve missed you. Missed this. I didn’t realise just how much I’d missed it until now. Now I don’t know how I went so long without it!”

Charity smiled into Vanessa’s hair and pulled her that little bit closer.

“Glad I’m not the only one babe”

“Mum asked about us, you know”

“Yeah, you mentioned”

“Mmmm. I think she was hoping that I might have ‘got over my phase’ and ended things between us”

“Oh. Right”

“She kept trying to tell me that I just ‘hadn’t found the right man’ and she thought of every possible reason why we shouldn’t and couldn’t work and why I could do so much better. But every excuse she came up with just reminded me how amazing you are and how much better my life is for having you and all our kids in it.”

“And grandkids”

Vanessa chuckles “Yeah, and grandkids. I can’t believe I’m going to be a Step-Grandma!” She shakes her head. “And so, despite her best attempts she actually helped me realise that a two year engagement was far too long and that I wanted to tie you down sooner rather than later before you could change your mind!”

“As if I ever would.” She kisses the top of Vanessa’s head and Vanessa closes her eyes in contentment. “So, are you going to tell me what’s happening on Friday then?”

“Ermmmmmm…..no!” a cheeky grin spreading across her face

“Well, how will I know where to go and when to show up if you don’t tell me?”

“You’ll know..”

“Why are you being so cagey about it, Mrs?!”

“I’m not being cagey, I’m being secretive”

“Same difference! Oh God, is it something dead soppy?”

“Just trust me okay. I just wanted to do something nice for you. For us”

“I hate it when you do your control freak thing”

“Well tough! It’ll be worth it”

“I’ll get it out of you, you know”

“Nope”

“I have tried and tested means”

“Oh yeah? Like what?”

“Like….no sex until we’re married”

Vanessa bursts out laughing “Yeah, alright then. Let’s see how long that lasts” she sticks out her tongue at Charity and Charity just growls. She hates not knowing. And she hates that Vanessa’s always right.

***

After catching up with Sarah and Noah, once they eventually return home with some excuse about doing homework at a friend’s house, Charity and Vanessa head up to bed where Charity definitely doesn’t keep up her threat from earlier. (How could she resist, really?) Until they fall asleep contented in each other’s arms, getting the best night’s sleep they’ve had in months.


End file.
